Sleepless
by Mariabonita
Summary: Lisa can't move past the Red Eye incident, however...is it "fear" that won't let her sleep at night?
1. Chapter 1

There she was, making scrambled eggs at 3AM. She had consciously fought the urge to do so ever since that fateful night on the Red Eye, but then again, old habits die hard.

'_Man, I really do need a life' – _she told herself while sitting on the couch, eating her food. Pretty Woman, one of her favorite movies, was on that night. She decided she could use a distraction so she started to watch. It was Saturday anyway and she didn't need to be at work the next day.

As she watched the movie, Lisa Reisert wondered _'Why can't real life be like that?' _The whole, boy meets girl, they are drawn to each other by some powerful attraction, and while they share wonderful, magical moments, they find love together and live happily ever after. However, her story had taken a turn for the worst, and that wonderful brief interaction with a beautiful stranger, had been followed by death threats, a magnicide plot, one torment after another that had left Lisa completely heartbroken and on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Every waking hour was torture from the moment she found out that he was on the loose. The police had nothing on the guy, no records, no finger prints, no driving license, NOTHING_! _Hell, according to the list of passengers, the man sitting next to her on 18F was Anthony Stark ¡_fucking Ironman, that asshole! _Well, a couple of things were certain for sure, Jackson Rippner, if that was even his real name, was no novice at all. And he wasn't acting alone, after all who could possibly get away with identifying themselves with that fake name?

Defenseless, Lisa spent almost every night awake, startled by the smallest sound, imagining that any second her blue eyed tormenter would finally come for her. He might be there intending to get revenge for having fucked up his carefully laid plans; or perhaps he'd come to fulfill _'the promise' _he had made on the plane. '_When we get out of this, I may have to steal you'. _Those words would hunt her even in her dreams. But of course, every single time she checked the place after hearing anything unusual, it just turned out to be a false alarm. The problem was,_ shouldn't that be relieving?_

Clearly, it wasn't. As much as Lisa hated to admit, it wasn't just fear that kept her awake at night, it was impatience… it was expectation. She could hardly wait for him to show up again. And she could barely forgive herself for admitting that desire, but denying it had proven to be a hopeless battle with herself, a battle that was already lost from the moment those hypnotic blue eyes locked with hers that fateful night in Dallas. Her attraction to him should have been vanished by the threats against his father, when she refused to cooperate with his demands to change Keefe's room. That would have been completely logical on her part, rather than this madness of wanting Jackson with an ever growing intensity that had her breathless.

Her father had suggested entering a witness protection program, but Lisa, using her job as an excuse, always refused. It was a rather pathetic excuse when she thought about it, then she insisted that it had been a long while since the Red Eye incident and she was still safe and sound, so maybe Rippner had been taken care of. In the end, though her father had let it go Lisa didn't actually believe herself. She was certain that Jackson Rippner, or whoever he was, was still out there A belief that was reinforced every morning when she went to work, every time when she went for a run, or off to do some errands. She just couldn't help the feeling of being watched.

Completely rendered by lack of sleep, she went back to bed once the movie was over.

_What the hell?_

Lisa had just walked in the bedroom when she noticed a small piece of paper right there on the nightstand, then she turned to see an open window. Trembling, and visibly startled, she turned on the light and took the paper in her hands, it was a note

'_Do you remember when I told you that I NEVER LIE? Well, I never do. See you soon Leese, way sooner than you think. J.R'_

She could barely breathe. And needless to say, she couldn't get any fucking sleep after that.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Well, hopefully it's not too late for a disclaimer. I don't own Red Eye or its characters. They belong to Wes Craven and Dreamworks (Jackson Rippner only belongs to me in some rather hot dreams) Thanks for the reviews and here's the second chapter. This one is Jackson's POV **_

Prior to their first encounter in Dallas, he had watched her every move for eight weeks so he was already familiar with Lisa's routine. After spying on her again for another two weeks, Jackson had barely noticed any changes. She was still a lonely woman whose life revolved around work. She would indulge in a couple of drinks at the nearest café every now and then, although she wouldn't order breezes anymore. Other than that, everything else was pretty much the same… at least on the surface.

It had been unsettling because it wasn't what Jackson had been expecting to see. He thought Lisa would look victorious and even euphoric, fresh from her victory over him. To his surprise, it was quite the opposite. He had found an overwhelmed and rather desperate woman, perhaps more desperate than before. She had lost a lot of weight, the dark circles under her eyes had deepened, and it was obvious that she wasn't getting enough sleep. He would watch her wandering around the house, constantly making sure she had locked the doors _'How cute!' _ Understandably, Lisa was feeling paranoid and her concerns were certainly well-founded; yet he was absolutely certain that his presence would remain undetected and so would the cameras he had discreetly placed in her home.

At the moment he couldn't care less about the police, the FBI, even the fucking CIA. Let's say Jackson worked for really powerful people, the kind of people that got JFK killed and made Oswald look guilty; true masterminds behind several coup d'état all over the world and so on. Those guys had invested way too much in training Jackson to just let one of their most valuable assets go to waste. Besides, it was the first time Jackson failed on a mission after successfully completing 36 jobs as a manager. That being said 'The powers that be' had decided to give their golden a long needed break to, like they stated, sort out _whatever issues he fucking had and get his shit together_. Furthermore, it seemed as though they had realized that messing up with his modus operandi, had obviously been a shit idea. After all, Rippner was a master of discretion, a silent slayer, used to complete his missions in the cleanest and quietest way possible. _What the fuck was on their minds – a missile attack? Clients' demands my ass. If those fucking bastards knew how to get the job done, why bother with hiring us in the first place?' _Anyways, he could just shrug it off and Keefe was no longer his problem to deal with. Let someone else get the bastard for all he cared.

Although, like his bosses had told him, there was a pending issue he needed to take care of and it wasn't Keefe. This issue of his went by the name of Lisa Reisert and it bothered Jackson to no end. For half of his life he'd been in this business, and no one had gotten to be one step ahead of him, why on earth had he let that happen this time? Jackson still had to figure out this fixation that had led him to get up close and personal with Lisa the way he had. Before this job, he had never dedicated so much time to a target, perhaps two weeks or three at most, but never eight weeks. But it wasn't just the insane amount of time spent on following her that had left him bewildered. She had become the only person, outside the company, that knew his real name. He had told her himself! At the beginning, he tried to rationalize it away, by stating it was the only way of getting his initials to match the ones on her dad's wallet. Nevertheless, he knew better than that. He, who would always plan every detail, could have simply gone by any other name with those very same initials.

The truth was that having observed her with a fascination that bordered on voyeurism, he had been yearning to reveal himself to this woman as much as possible given the circumstances, for reasons he still couldn't understand. Jackson had wished for her to meet the guy he had been a long time ago, hence the man at the airport was never an act. As painful as it was to admit, he had practically leapt at the chance of a break from the icy armor that was his _'manager' _persona. It was an armor he had carefully forged and gotten used to when he decided to dismiss all emotions and feelings for what they were, unnecessary burdens that usually came in the way. On the other hand, as useful as this armor had been in the past, he couldn't resist the urge of shedding it at least for a while. _What hurt could it do? Yeah right._

And thus all hell broke loose. It was only logical: every single moment spent near Lisa, Jackson would let his emotions get the best of him. His passion, his anger and his frustration started boiling inside him driving him mad. He was even close to surrender to his desire, and would have done so if it weren't for the sight of Lisa's scar. That's when he lost his grip on the situation. Back at the Tex-Mex when she ordered a different drink, he had realized she was hiding something but he had failed to figure it out. Eight weeks of surveillance only to have such an important detail escape him, and as small as it was, it would be his undoing.

Few hours later, Lisa would reveal her painful secret and throw him off balance. Had it been just mere curiosity, nothing would have happened. However, Jackson couldn't help himself, and became completely overcome with compassion, one of the feelings he had worked the hardest on suppressing, along with love. Why showing them to anyone, if no one had ever shown them to him? It was such an overwhelming feeling that filled his heart with rare warmth and the need to comfort her, if only for a few seconds. Until, an equally overwhelming pain pierced his throat and left him breathless, then… well the rest is known story.

And there he was again, back where he had started, back at Lisa's place. Getting her out of his system was his number one priority, and he needed to clear any doubts about his feelings towards her. She was certainly a beautiful woman, but Jackson had had plenty of them. Why on earth had he let his guard down with her? What was it about her? In spite of everything revenge wasn't even in his plans, he knew that much. But he knew he needed some resolution and he needed it soon.

Up until that night Jackson had merely watched her from a distance, or through surveillance cameras. But when he noticed that she had fallen sleep for the first time in about a week, he decided to seize the opportunity and watch her closely. He walked in Lisa's bedroom and he even felt bold enough to approach her while she was sleeping. He hadn't been that close to her since their ultimate showdown at her father's house. Just like that day, Jackson's hand reached for her hair and for a second he was torn between the urge of grabbing a fistful and pulling her towards him, or the need to run his fingers through her long silky tresses very gently.

He went for the second option, letting his hand linger on her face for a moment, like he did after rendering her unconscious with a head butt. However, this time around he felt Lisa press her face against his hand and heard her exhale a sigh. He couldn't believe it, her lips started opening and closing, drawing half-breaths. When he tried to part from her, she rubbed his cheek against his palm, like a kitten seeking comfort, right before his name escaped her lips in a moan.

"_oh…Jackson"_

The contact of her skin was burning against his, and it started to become too much. He parted from her and decided to leave or he'd risk losing control. By that moment there was no denying that she was as affected by him as he was by her. On his way out, Jackson forgot about keeping quiet and almost tripped, right after that he could hear his sleeping beauty wake. Yes, she was _his… __**his Lisa.**_ Luckily, he had enough time to hide inside the nearest walk-in closet while Lisa was rising from her bed and heading to the restroom.

As she was making scrambled eggs, Jackson decided he would leave her be, at least for that night. He still needed to process what had just happened, but his perspective was a lot clearer. He would definitely come back for her and he would let her know. Being the naughty boy he was, he decided he would '_toy' _with her mind a little bit more. It was only fair that she had to endure at least a fraction of the torture he was experiencing: the uncertainty and the yearning that would barely let her sleep or find peace until they met again. So he set on writing a note.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for your reviews guys, the truly mean a lot to me. Well, without further ado, here's an update, albeit a short one. I hope you enjoy it.

oOoOoOoO

To say that the whole week was total chaos would be an understatement. Guess that getting ten hours of sleep in five days had taken a toll on Lisa's nervous system. Add an unhealthy dose of paranoia to the mix, and there she was… a shadow of her former self. Heavy coffee drinking would only make matters worse to the point that even Cynthia had noticed that something was definitely wrong. The redhead decided it was time to address the problem for Lisa's sake, so she took the chance during coffee break.

"Lisa, you've barely touched your food? Are you all right?" Cynthia asked as she set her sandwich back on her plate.

"Sure I am dad" Lisa replied, yawning for the thousandth time before sipping on her macchiato "I guess, I'm just not that hungry"

"You're doing it again!" Cynthia exclaimed in exasperation. "Listen to me Lisa; if you think you're fooling anyone, well you're not. So please stop insulting my intelligence"

Lisa hadn't been expecting that reaction from the normally clueless Cynthia. '_So it's that bad, huh?' _ She went silent for a moment before she could find her words and yet again make another lame excuse.

"Look Cyn. I'm just…I've been having rough days. You know what it's like …"

"Lisa, come on. This is so much more than just a few rough days" Cynthia interrupted while giving her friend a knowing look "You have been my mentor for over a year, and as of lately it's been me who has been on the outlook to save you from… well, to save you from screwing up. My God, it feels like we've entered the Twilight Zone!"

The redhead regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth and a startled Lisa gasped in surprise. Cynthia did not mean to hurt her friend's feelings but the whole situation was getting weirder and weirder and Lisa was visibly in denial or maybe she wasn't really aware of how bad things had gotten. So she decided to explain things in detail.

"Look, perhaps booking a honeymoon suite for Mr. Forrester and Mr. Jacobs wasn't that bad. Lucky for us, they both took it with great sense of humor and so did their wives. But you know sending peanut butter cups to Ms. Pierce could have been lethal; you forgot the woman is allergic for God sake!"

Tears pricked Lisa's eyes just as realization dawned on her "Oh my God Cyn, do not joke with that! That woman has stayed at the Lux so many times, she..."

"She made it perfectly clear that she's allergic to peanuts and so is her son. You explained that to me back in the days when I was training. I don't know what's going on at the moment, but Lisa, you're not yourself these days. So far you've been lucky that I've got your back, but what if we run out of luck? Maybe not today but soon, something could happen and before it does I think..." Cynthia had been dreading to say the words, but she just had to "I think it would do you real good to take some time off"

"No, no, no forget it Cyn. You don't know what you're saying" Lisa shook her head in denial. To her, work was way of coping with her fears; and while there was no place where she would feel completely safe, she could say that work was the place where she felt the least unsafe. She couldn't bear the idea of going back to her place and just sit there to wait for… Lord knows. However, Cynthia would not let it go that easily. She felt in debt to Lisa for having saved her ass so many times. It was time to return the favor before it was too late.

"Lisa, you've got to do it. Come on, how long has it been since the last time you took vacations – two, three years? Look, I won't keep pushing you to tell me whatever is wrong right now, but I can tell it is deep shit, and you need to sort it out before you collapse and work isn't helping you at all. And I've got to say that right now…" Cynthia got hold of Lisa's hand, hoping to get her attention since she had turned her head to the side_ "_Lisa, look at me. Right now, taking some time off from work is your decision. Please do not wait until the whole situation gets worse and someone else decides it's time for you to leave…for good"

_Damn! _Even though it was super bizarre to hear this from Cynthia, Lisa had to admit that her friend had a point. After a long pause, she took a deep breath and turned to look at her friend again. She couldn't hold the tears back any longer

"Thank you Cynthia" Lisa sighed in acceptance "You're right, I… I am taking a break. I just hope it helps me calm down and well... I guess it couldn't hurt right?" She blinked back her tears and carried on "Just promise me you'll take care of everything while I'm not there"

Cynthia nodded and smiled, trying to reassure Lisa "Of course I will. And listen, I can tell you are afraid. Not just of leaving the Lux…" She stopped for a moment to offer Lisa a tissue. "It's something else, I know you won't share it with me, but I also know you're strong enough to face your demons. On the other hand, you will never do it if you keep hiding behind a desk. And in the end, if you decide you can't do it on your own, just know you can count on me OK?"

And that was the moment when Lisa couldn't take it anymore. She stood, hugged her friend with all her might and started sobbing not caring who else was at the coffee shop, she just let her pain out.


	4. Chapter 4

Lisa kept fighting back the tears as she drove home. She felt utterly lost and lonelier than before. As hard as she had clung unto her job believing it would help her keep her sanity, it had been absolutely pointless. She had failed to hide her inner turmoil to the most oblivious of them all, Cynthia. And of course, she hadn't been the only one to notice just how messed up everything was at that point. Her boss, Ms Abrams, barely let Lisa begin to speak when they sat down that afternoon to talk about her 'long overdue vacation'. She looked almost relieved to have Lisa come up with the idea herself, and she went as far as to suggest she took two months off, since she was sure Cynthia could handle everything in her absence.

At that point, Lisa didn't know whether to feel grateful or offended. Over the past three years she had been pretty damn good at her job to the point she kind of felt irreplaceable. Hell, she had every reason to feel that way! Just until a few months ago, she was the one who ran things around there. It had taken only a few messed up weeks to throw that away. And yet, she had to admit that they could have just fired her but she still had a job. So maybe there was hope for her, she could come back as good as new… one small hope that she would cling to, for she just couldn't face that her situation was getting out of control.

"Hey, watch it bitch!"

While Lisa was pondering the day's events, she hadn't noticed a couple of teenage kids crossing the street. One of them started yelling as the other one called her names and insulted her. Man, she had been so close to hitting them that she couldn't really blame them for being so rude. Although they carried on and swearing for some time while, lucky for her they just walked away. Lisa managed to drive the rest of the way home, and seconds after stopping… she broke down into tears.

"_Damn you to hell for doing this to me Rippner!"_

oOoOoOoOo

By the time she made it to her place, Lisa just wanted to crawl into bed and forget about the whole damn world. Yet, despite being so damn exhausted, she knew she would have trouble falling sleep. _What the heck! I've got Alteril, might as well pop a pill"_

She had vowed not to do so, afraid of dropping of her guard in case Jackson were to show up. On the other hand, there was no way she could bear it anymore, especially after such a crappy day. At that moment she couldn't give a fuck about Jackson fulfilling his promise or not, she craved the peace that some, hopefully dreamless sleep could bring her. She cut a pill in half and took it with a glass of water. Not caring that it was 5 in the afternoon, Lisa didn't even bother changing into her PJs. She would get some rest and forget about the world. She knew it would take a while until the pill fully worked but nevertheless she got into bed surrendering to fatigue as she closed her eyes.

About fifteen minutes went by and Lisa was just starting to fall asleep, when she felt the gentle touch of a hand running through her tresses. For a second there, she thought she had started dreaming already, but then she heard a distinctive chuckle.

'_Could it be..?_

Dazed as she was, Lisa wouldn't open her eyes. Not just because her lids felt kind of heavy, but because she wouldn't dare opening them. Then she felt the same hand lift her chin, and she couldn't help opening her eyes and looking up to find two unearthly blue eyes staring back at her. Mesmerizing as ever, the owner of those eyes was no dream at all.

"Are you happy to see me Leese?"


	5. Chapter 5

"Are you happy to see me Leese?"

Lisa could not believe her eyes. His hair was a bit longer but it looked well kept, his sinfully full curled lips pulled into a sneer, and the same icy blue gaze that had held her heart prisoner once. _Oh no, not again! _ As soon as she overcame the initial shock, she managed to jump up and make a run for it. However, Jackson was faster, and very promptly he threw himself at her before she could even reach the door.

Both fell on the carpeted floor together. Lisa let out a cry as he pinned her to the carpeted floor, pressing his full weight on top of her. Jackson spun her around to face him while she fought to get out of his hold, but he grabbed her wrists in both hands forcing them to the sides of her head, restrained her legs with his own so she wouldn't kick him. He was pretty frustrated by her struggle, and yet he had to admit that he would have been terribly disappointed if Lisa hadn't fought him back. He smiled to himself as he brought his lips to her ear and whispered "Honest to God Leese, I don't understand why you look so surprised. You really didn't see this coming?" His smile radiated arrogance, but Lisa couldn't help but find him devilishly sexy despite his cockiness.

She tried to look away but he wouldn't let her. On a surprising maneuver, Jackson held both Lisa's wrists over her head with his left hand. He was actually stronger than he looked. After that, he grabbed her chin forcing her to look at him "I thought I had made myself perfectly clear and I do keep my promises after all"

"And what exactly do you mean by keeping your promise Jackson?" She spat at him venomously "Are you talking about finishing the job? Well if that's what you're here for, fucking finish it already!"

"Oh come on Leese! The whole damn job is a thing from the past" Jackson shook his head before he leaned closer once again "But you and I have unfinished business to talk about, much more personal business"

_Much more personal? What the fuck does he mean? _Lisa renewed her attempts to get Jackson off of her, but it was useless. Unable to move and too worn to fight back, she knew she had to get a grip on the situation and pronto.

"Talk? Fine, let's say that I believe you" She panted, her chest heaving against him as Jackson grinned at her. "Let's say that you just want to talk, then what the fuck are you doing on top of me?! I had no clue one had to pin a person down to the floor if all one wants to do is talk!"

_Patience Jackson. You know this wouldn't be easy, do not lose your cool now!_

"You really think you're clever right?" He rolled his eyes and breathed in to calm himself "Of course it's not necessary but it's not like you've left me another choice. Now all I ask is for you to be a good girl and calm down a bit" he chuckled as it was her turn to roll her eyes "That's it, relax; shouldn't be a problem after the pill you just took"

Although he had a point there since the drug was already running in her system, neutralizing her ability to react, every word Jackson said got her more and more worked up "Do not dare asking me anything you son of a bitch!" She snarled at him, surprised at the strength she could still muster "You have no fucking right to ask anything from me!"

"Well then let me restate that... If you know what's good for you, you'd better calm down Leese!"

That was the drop that spilled the cup "No way I'm calming down, I WON'T!" she screamed in a high pitched voice "You've made my life a living hell and there's no way I'll ever calm down or find any peace again" Her words hit Jackson like a ton of bricks to the chest and he winced slightly. He hadn't been expecting that reaction

"Be done with it and kill me already, 'cause if you don't then I certainly will"

As he saw the tears welling up in Lisa's eyes, Jackson got a lump in his throat. Could he be feeling guilt after all? Most likely, he could. Nonetheless, as he paused to breathe in, he couldn't help but feel slightly comforted by the knowledge that he wasn't the only one whose world had been rocked by their encounter. He tightened his grip on her possessively with a hand and with the other; he reached to wipe a tear from her cheek, puzzling her with his gentleness. "Shhhh…. You really think you are in any position to be making any threats" his voice was soft almost a whisper, lulling her to sleep "You can't even believe yourself"

Lisa's skin burned anywhere he touched, but the contact was so unbelievably pleasant. And yet, despite the tenderness of his last gesture, everything he kept saying was intended to intimidate her. _What the fuck is this new game about? _She made up her mind right then. She could not bear another second of it. This might as well be another sick manipulation on Jackson's part; a game meant to toy with her mind before he finally got rid of her. Her attraction to him had already gotten the best of her once, but she wouldn't let that happen again. Although her hands and legs were of no use at that moment, she knew she had to attack and soon. Catching him off guard, she just went for it.

"OUCH! WHAT THE FUCK LEESE!"-

Jackson found himself thrown aback, a sharp pain on his forehead, blood trickling down his brow. It had happened so suddenly. One minute they were arguing, and the next one just like she had done at her father's house, Lisa had gathered all her strength to headbutt him with every intention of knocking him out. Problem was that while Jackson Rippner was an expert, she was just a noob. As painful as it had been for him, Jackson was wide awake wiping the blood off of his forehead. The one who rested unconscious on the floor was Lisa.

Yep, another evil cliffhanger, sorry about that :P Hopefully I'll upload the next one over the weekend. Just remember, reviews keep this author going. Thanks for the love!


	6. Chapter 6

_**Thank you so much for the reviews ^_^ they really keep me going. Here's another chapter, which I hope you like.**_

When Lisa regained consciousness, she was back under the covers. She rolled onto her side and groggily looked at the digital clock on her bedside table. It was 9 o'clock. She had been passed out for about three hours and if it weren't for the damp cloth on her forehead, she would have thought everything had been all a dream. And even though she was alone in her room, something told her Jackson was still there. Of course, her suspicions became even stronger when she noticed a delicious smell coming from the kitchen

_What the hell?_

Lisa sprang out of her bed and rushed directly to her kitchen where she found a rather composed Jackson, setting the table. It felt as though he had made himself at home. _I must have hit my head pretty hard. 'Cause there's no way this is actually happening!_

As he was serving what looked and smelled like blueberry crepes, Jackson didn't even need to turn around to notice her standing at the door frame; her rapid breathing was a dead giveaway.

"Well, look who's finally up. Are you OK Leese?"

"Like hell!" she shot back "Tell me what the fuck you're doing in my kitchen?" The look Lisa passed Jackson's way could have killed him flat out. Her eyes kept shooting daggers as she reached for her head "And to answer your question I'm not OK. My head hurts and you are the one who was supposed to faint!"

"Well, whose fault is that? You did this to yourself" he almost lost his cool for a moment, but decided against it as he reached for his head as well, mocking her. "And must I remind you that you headbutted me really hard Leese. You could have hurt me Lisa. Of course, if you had really meant to"

_Bastard. _ She felt like throwing the plates at him or anything else that was within reach, but she wouldn't do it. First: because she felt sore and a bit lightheaded. And second: because she had just realized that she had been at Jackson's mercy for the past three hours and save from the headache she had brought on herself, she was perfectly safe and sound. Completely baffled at these realizations, Lisa just had to sit down.

Ever the gentleman, Jackson pushed her chair forward under the table, and handed her a plate. "Here you go Lisa. You need to eat some food before you take anything for the pain" he poured a glass of water for her before he sat down on the opposite side. "I know they're not scrambled eggs but I hope you like them"

_Seriously, is this some Candid Camera prank? _ For a moment, Lisa thought of declining his offer. But truth be told, the food on the table looked mouthwateringly delicious and she had barely eaten anything that day. Without taking her eyes off of Jackson, she started eating silently, taking the pill he had left next to the plate after she finished. Once he had finished his meal as well, Jackson felt it was safe to approach her closely. Taking an icebag from the fridge, he applied it to the bump on Lisa's head.

"Ouch… What are you doing? It hurts!"

"Shh, Leese. Be a good girl and stay still. This will help the swelling" She continued wincing for some time as Jackson held the icebag. As the pain receded and Lisa started breathing evenly he stroked her hair for moment "There, it is. Everything will just be peachy"

_Peachy. _Right then her mind rushed back to those moments in the plane's lavatory. She could hear his threats again, as well as 'Thanks for the quickie'. Although nothing had happened between them, those words had made her feel so utterly used and humiliated. Those feelings had just been brought back to the surface, to haunt her, to once again make her aware of whom she was with. Holding back the tears, Lisa decided she wouldn't let Jackson play her once again. She waited until they were done with the icepack and as he was disposing of it, she began.

"Jackson" she rose from the table and took a step towards him "Though I really appreciate what you just did, I'd appreciate even more if you could tell me where the fuck you think you're going with this bullshit"

Jackson just stared at Lisa as though she'd grown a second head "Perhaps we should get you checked for a concussion Leese"

"You know what, fuck you Jackson" she was getting madder by the second "Tell me once and for all, what is it with this fucking game of yours?"

"Game? There's no fucking game for Godsake!" He snarled as he stepped closer "But what is it with this act Leese? This foul-mouthed sassy girl act clearly doesn't suit you" Lisa stumbled backwards against the counter as he took another step towards her "You were unconscious for a while, and that wasn't even my fault. Don't you think that if I wanted to harm you I would have done it already?"

"OK, so you're not here to hurt me Jackson, what am I supposed to do now, huh?" Lisa pushed him away from her as she retorted "I can't just sit here and talk like we're old friends remembering times gone by. If I remember our last 'talk' correctly, you were chasing me with a knife"

"Sure I did, after you stabbed my throat with that shitty Frankenstein pen Lisa!" His eyes flamed as he pointed at her accusingly "And if that weren't enough, you and your dad shot me repeatedly. I gotta tell you I'm lucky to be alive miss and it's not thanks to you!"

"So, I guess I have to thank you for letting me live despite the shit I put you through, right Jack? If that's even your goddamn name! Or should I call you Iron Man?"

"Hah hah fucking hah Leese, you're so funny! I'm not Tony Stark and my name isn't Jack either! But even if I had lied to you, you're the last person who could hold it against me" he sighed in frustration at her obvious denial, before he turned to leave the room. "You lie like you breathe "

_How dare he? _Red hot anger shot straight through Lisa at his words as she took an empty glass from the sink and smashed it at his feet. Jackson stopped short and turned back

"You asshole! How dare you call me a liar!" her nostrils flared and her frown deepened but she kept going "As much as you can pride yourself on being a straight shooter, you were anything but truthful when we met, so fuck you Jack!"

Tears started running down her cheeks. Completely shocked Jackson regarded her in shock. Not at her rage, which he had been expecting, but at her … _sorrow? _ The misery in her eyes easily surpassed her anger and nothing could have prepared him for seeing such a mélange of emotions. Still baffled at her reaction, Jackson gathered enough courage to approach Lisa once again.

"Leese"

"Enough with Leese and LISTEN TO ME JACKSON!" She interrupted him choking back a sob. "Ever since … ever since the attack I had fought so hard to get my life back, to protect myself against any man and…" she looked up at him through pained eyes "You came along. YOU, out of everyone had to be the first man in TWO YEARS, the first… the first man who me feel anything that wasn't disgust" Her chest was heaving up and down heavily and Jackson was afraid she would hyperventilate, he promptly poured a glass of water for her.

"Such a gentleman, you… you…radiated so much charm that night, I just couldn't help myself" she took a gulp on the glass of water he had offered before she went off again "I still can't believe how fool I was, how I could possibly think that I could have a life after what happened to me. I believed… I wanted to believe that I could _live_ rather than _survive_"

_I really am an asshole. _Seeing her so broken, made Jackson feel like one loathsome son of a bitch. He had crushed Lisa's heart, crushed every hope she had of getting over her pain. Had he known what had happened to her, he would have chosen someone else as a target. He was still pondering all this when she interrupted his thoughts.

"Then I saw you for who you really were, and I felt disgusted at myself… for what I allowed myself to feel back then, for.…" Lisa hesitated for a moment but the words kept coming "…For what I STILL feel… even though it's based on one fucking lie!" She fought to keep it together it was pointless. It was as though her demons were getting exorcised "Jackson, _this is no life. _Seriously, I've just had enough. I th… thought I would feel better once I had stopped you, but truth be told, I've never felt emptier" She looked up at him once again with tear filed eyes before she finally sighed "If you've come here to finish the job, just be done with it already, 'cause at this point I simply don't care" she set the glass back on the counter as she wiped her dripping nose with her sleeve.

Jackson bit his lip and just stood there, perplexed. He couldn't bear seeing Lisa like this. To say he was in utter shock would be an understatement. Sure, he knew he had plagued his mind as she had his, but he had no idea her spirit was so broken. And that wasn't all. His own feelings at watching her display of emotion were all the more bewildering. Jackson longed to relieve Lisa's pain somehow; he wanted nothing but to make her see that it hadn't all been an act that night at the Tex-Mex. That night, for some reason he still had to understand, he had decided reveal himself as Jackson Rippner, the real one, the man he used to be before he had to assume his persona of _manager extraordinaire, _before he gave into the madness that his life had become. He wanted to let Lisa know that she had rocked his world as much as he had hers, and he couldn't be certain of anything anymore.

That's when Jackson realized that he would find _no words _to convey all that. He sighed and approached Lisa carefully, handing her his handkerchief. She silently took it, wiping the tears from her eyes and drying up her nose as best as she could. Her mascara had dripped down her cheeks and she looked as messy as she had ever been. Nonetheless Jackson found her unbelievably beautiful right then. He had no way of telling her how touched he was by the brave honesty with which she had bared her soul. The only thing he felt he could do was hold her gently. Oh, he would never forget how soft and fragile she felt in his arms. Lisa went limp for a few moments before she allowed herself to relax in his embrace, releasing a deep breath.

Jackson couldn't fight the urge to kiss her anymore. As their lips met, Lisa gasped in surprise, astonishment filling her opened eyes, so he knew he had to take things slowly. His hand started running gently down her back, sending shivers down her spine yet easing away the tension as she closed her eyes.

Growing more confident, Jackson tentatively took Lisa's lower lip between his own, nibbling on it like it was the tastiest morsel he had ever tried. When he felt her circling her arms around him, their kiss became more daring and their embrace more passionate, as both of them took turns to explore one another's recesses. They hummed and moaned. It felt so right, the rasp of tongue against tongue, wet and warm. It felt safe. Jackson let himself enjoy the taste of Lisa, so completely intoxicating: a perfect combination of blueberries and cream, with a slight, salty taste. She was responding with equal fervor, her tongue dueling hotly with his. Lisa threw her arms around his neck and started stroking his hair and he pressed her against the fridge, on the opposite side of the room, both giving into feelings they had been trying to suppress for years

Their mouths eagerly merged for a few minutes, until they finally halted, but not before Lisa caught hold on Jackson's lower lip and sucked on it for a few seconds. When she finally released, they embraced in a warm hug and stood there with their foreheads touching and their eyes closed as they gasped for breath. When Lisa finally dared to open her eyes, she was rewarded by Jackson's intense gaze; his beautiful Caribbean blue eyes shining with warmth she hadn't seen since their first encounter. They stood still for a long time, staring at each other in fascination, as if it were the first time they'd ever met.

"Now that I've got your attention…" Jackson sighed deeply as he brought them out of their reverie "I'm begging you… please hear me out Leese"

TBC

_**I hope it's not too fluffy for your taste. It's just that I'm convinced that Jackson Rippner actually does have a beating heart. Anyway, that's it for now. A special than you to my loyal readers: trudes193 and BacktotheFuture1985. Til the next time ;)**_


	7. Chapter 7

Jackson had to stop to take a breath and gather up some strength; otherwise he would have given into the temptation of kissing her again, and he might never stop if he did. Every fiber in his being yearned to take Lisa in his arms and make endless love to her, but he knew that he owed her the same honesty with which she had revealed herself. Since baring the body is much easier than baring the soul, Jackson would have to muster all the courage he was capable of. He had to take this last chance to let Lisa see his true colors, far less dark than she'd pictured them to be. _It's now or never_

"When we met in Texas, I had already spent some time watching you"

Remembering how they had met still made shivers run down her spine so she had to blink the tears away, hoping she could hide how much the memory of that ordeal still affected her. However, Lisa didn't leave his embrace. Encouraged by this fact, Jackson sighed and went on

"I had never followed a _target _for so long. I… " Lisa winced at his choice of words looking at Jackson with a wounded expression "Don't get me wrong please, what I mean is… I had never let a job become so personal…"

_Shit, isn't there another way to put it? What the fuck is wrong with me?_

On the other hand, Lisa was absolutely puzzled. A few moments earlier they had been fighting, and then he'd left her speechless with a kiss that had her craving for more. Everything was too damn confusing. Yet, there she was, absolutely compelled to listen to what he had to say. But the awkward silence had just started to become too long for her to bear.

"Am I still … Am I still a target Jackson?"

"God no Leese, what I mean is that I felt completely drawn to you. There was something about you and I couldn't quite put my finger on it, and trust me on this, that never happened" Her stare made him increasingly nervous as he stammered over words "I tried to convince myself that what just physical attraction I mean… there you were… a vision of sheer perfection in every way. And still…you insisted on living in utter solitude. I found it intriguing, but mostly enthralling beyond words"

Lisa regarded him, transfixed. She had convinced herself that Jackson's mind didn't work that way, he had told her himself. But there was no fact-based logic in this man before her eyes; this man who was visibly struggling with emotions was someone else_._

"You were so isolated from the world, so much like me. Perhaps, I felt related to you in that way. It's the reason I told you my real name. I..." his voice was barely a whisper then "I wanted to get as close to you as I could before everything ended… well you know… the way it did"

"I do know Jackson" she bit her lip nervously, hurt by the memories that unveiled in the back of her mind "You let your guard down, it messed things up and you've regretted it ever since" this time Lisa struggled to get free, but he held her firmly

"Of course I haven't, will hear me out Leese?" he pleaded, his voice once again rising "Listen, to hell with the mission, the company, everyone, they can just fuck off! For all I care! All I care about right now is you!"

Both of them froze like startled deers at his words. Once realization dawned on him, Jackson reached to cup her cheek with one hand as he wiped a tear away.

"It's true Leese. You've become far more important to me than any job. You brought out a will in me to _live _again! And now I know I'm not the only one who feels this way" His hands moved to delicately take hold of hers. "Although I've got to say, I have one regret; but it's not what you think"

He stopped to gaze at her once again with a deadly serious expression "I do regret not having met you under different circumstances" bringing her hands to his lips he placed gentle kisses on them. "I'm sorry for all the pain I've put you through. But, I'll never forgive myself if I don't ask you to give us a chance"

Lisa's eyes widened and her mouth gaped open as she listened to him, not in disbelief but in surprise. There was truth in his words; she could see it in his eyes. They were no longer those gelid pools she remembered from that night on the flight. Instead, they glittered with pent up emotion, she could once again see the same warmth that had melted her heart while they shared drinks together. It felt as though he had stripped himself from some sort of armor, slowly letting her see him under a different light. Nevertheless, while she could sense Jackson's remorse, Lisa didn't know whether she felt safe enough.

"Jack… I honestly don't know. You and I…"

Before she could continue, his hands let go of hers and reached for the back of her head to pull her into a sweet, gentle kiss; one rather long kiss in case it was their last. Jackson understood her hesitation and he was willing to give Lisa some space if that was what she needed. He would grant her anything she asked from him, even if it meant leaving for good.

"I swear I'll never hurt you again. Whatever your answer is…" He pressed his cheek into hers, inhaling her scent "You will have nothing to fear from me anymore, and if you want me to, I'll be gone from life forever" _Please, don't let me go, I beg you, please don't _

Jackson closed his eyes again, bracing himself, while he silently pleaded for her to let him stay. He'd barely noticed when Lisa tentatively splayed her hand across his cheek. He turned his face into her palm, kissing it lightly.

No, she couldn't let him go. He was where he belonged, with her. As big a risk as she was taking, she couldn't handle an entire life of wondering 'what if?'. She wouldn't live with herself unless she found out where this could go. This time it was Lisa who very tenderly pressed her lips into his as she wrapped her arms around him.

His lips were hot and moist. She cooled them with the tip of her tongue before her kiss gradually became frenzier and more demanding. Lisa kissed Jackson thoroughly, hoping to consume him, to make him part of herself. She longed to leave her loneliness behind, to be parted from the farce she had been living, the farce that they had both been living. Trusting each other was more than an option; it was their only way out of hell.

When they finally parted, Lisa remained pressed against Jackson, hugging him with all her might. She had her answer

"Jack please... don't go" - Her green orbs wide and desperate as she turned to face him. "Don't leave me!" She begged as she kept kissing his lips, nose, and eyes, everywhere she could reach "I… we both need this. I know it and so do you. Please stay!"

_This woman will never cease to amaze me. _ Jackson could barely believe what was happening. He had just been so close to saying goodbye and leaving her once and for all. He had been scared beyond words of her answer, terrified at the possibility of needing her and losing her without even getting the slightest opportunity to make things right. He would have never imagined that Lisa would hold onto him, with every intention of keeping him there.

Jackson soothed her with soft kisses as well, as he held her face between his hands again. He was absolutely touched, not just by the desperation in Lisa's voice, but by her acceptance of him. Nothing else mattered anymore. But, paranoid as he was he had to make sure.

"Lisa. You know what this means, right?"

"I do. But just once, I want to get carried away. Let's get carried away, you and me" she begged raggedly "I don't know where this might take us" she kissed his right cheek and whispered in his ear "But I need to find out, and I can't deny us any longer" Lisa reached for his face again and looked into his eyes "Don't you want to find out too?"

Jackson could see it clearly in her eyes; this woman wanted him as much as he wanted her. She would be his and his alone, on her own will. And in return, she had accepted him for who he was; although he knew he had been hers from the very first moment he laid eyes on her.

Jackson started kissing Lisa again and before either of them knew it, he had her up against the wall. It almost felt like that time in the plane's lavatory but the new circumstances were much more pleasant. His tongue explored her slowly. Lisa's tongue joined his and together they searched. She moaned against Jackson's lips as she started nibbling on his lower lip again. He couldn't help but pause when he felt the metallic taste of his own blood coating his tongue.

"Well, well, well" he whispered sultrily "looks like someone has a vampire kink, am I right Leese?"

"Mhm… I'm sorry Jack... I've craved for those lips of yours way too long"

"Shhh, it's ok. I'm glad to know you want this as much as I do" Jackson chose that moment to lean forward and capture her earlobe between his teeth. Lisa felt herself melting against him; she had forgotten how sensitive her ears were. She gasped as he pressed his body close, hips digging into hers, his arousal nestled against the heat between her legs. She could feel him through their clothes and Jackson almost released her for fear she had felt frightened by his passion.

"No, please!" Lisa tightened her arms around her lover, holding onto him for support while she moved to kiss him "I'm fine, it's just… been a while" her eyes locked with his. "I really do want you Jackson, will you stay?" Lisa bit her lip as she looked at Jackson with pleading eyes before he nodded reassuringly "Besides, you're the only thing holding me standing right now" he grinned at her comment "No, seriously, my legs feel like jelly"

Now both of them were openly laughing until Jackson leaned down to nuzzle her neck again "You know we can stop at any time you want, right Leese?

"I know. But I don't want to stop Jackson, I want to be with you" she replied as she ran her hands down his back to clutch his ass over the jeans, both of them letting go strangled moans in unison "I'm yours"

Feeling impossibly aroused at her words, Jackson melded his mouth to Lisa's once again, growing more and more passionate, knowing there was no way back.

**Hello again my dear readers. It's a safe guess that the end is near, so stay tuned**

**And again, a special thank you to those wonderful readers who have left such kind and thoughtful reviews. You're the best**


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